Depth bomb



Um 1942- c. w BACHE RT, SR, ETAL p fl DEPTH BOMB Filed Oct. 2, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 WWI Patented Dec. 22, 1942 DEPTH BOlWB Charles W. Bachert, Sr., and Charles W. Bachert, In, Lafayette, La.

Application October 2, 1941, Serial N 0. 413,364

3 Claims.

This invention relates to depth bombs for the destruction of submarines, and has for the primary object the provision of a device of this character which is especially adapted for use by aeroplanes and like aircrafts to be dropped in a body of water within a reasonable distance of the submarine and includes a plurality of high explosive projectiles and a self submergible firing and propulsion device for discharging said projectiles in a plurality of different directions or courses from the submerging place in the body of water to better the chances of destroying the submarine by the diiferent explosions from the various projectiles taking place in a much larger area than would be possible to accomplish by the explosion of a single submergible bomb or projectile, consequently reducing to a minimum the possibility of escape of the submarine undamaged.

With these and other objects in view as will become more apparent as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

For a complete understanding of our invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation illustrating a depth bomb in a submerged position within a body of water and constructed in accordance with our invention.

Figure 2 is a Vertical sectional View illustrating the device.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line tl3 of Figure 2.

Figure is a sectional View taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view illustrating one of the projectiles and the portions of the firing means therefor.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view illustrating a portion of one of the powder chambers and detonating cap therefor.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 5 indicates a self-submergible housing including angularly related walls providing to said housing sides 6, portions of which converge to present to said housing a tapered lower portion. The upper end of the housing is closed by a removable cap 1. The sides of the housing above the tapered portion are provided with openings in which are mounted powder chambers 8 extending radially from the vertical axis of the housing 5. Frictionally fitted within the powder chambers 8 are high explosive projectiles 9 supported horizontally by said chambers. The inner ends of said chambers arranged within the housing are substantially dome shaped and equipped with detonating caps II).

It will be noted by referring to Figure 5 that the projectiles when mounted within the powder chambers do not entirely fill the spaces therein so that powder may be arranged therein to be set off by the detonating caps l0 when actuated by firing pins ll pivotally connected to the ends of radially extending arms l2 mounted on and secured to a shaft is journaled vertically in a bearing l4 supported by a spider l5 mounted in the housing 5. The shaft 13 is connected to the armature shaft of an electric motor l6 carried by a support l'l' in the lower tapered portion of the housing 5.

The electric motor is is connected in an electric circuit, the conductors of which are indicated by the character l8 and also connected in the electric circuit is a source of electric energy [9 preferably in the form of a storage battery and a time control switch 20 of a conventional or well known construction mounted in a wall of the housing so that it can be adjusted and set in operation eXteriorly of the housing.

Normally the shaft I3 is positioned so as to hold the firing pins I I in a retracted position.

Each projectile 9 includes a main cylindrical shaped shell 2i closed at one end by an end wall 22 and the opposite end closed by a removable tapered plug 23 of sectional formation.

A firing pin 25 is slidable in the plug 23 and has a headed end 25 arranged in advance of the plug and. is engageable with auxiliary firing pins 23 which engage detonating caps 21 arranged in communication with the chamber 24. The firing pin is spring influenced, as shown at 28.

Removably mounted within the shell 2| is a compressed air chamber 30 by having its open end threaded in a recess provided in the end wall 22 of said shell 2!. A spring influenced plunger 3! is operable in the compressed air chamber 30, the stem 32 of which operates in a guide 33 forming an integral part of the compressed air chamber and in which is located a coil spring 35 acting to urge the plunger in the direction of the wall 22 of the shell 2!. The plunger 3| is held in the position shown in Figure 5 by the compressed air within the chamber 38. A suitable inflating valve 35 arranged in the end wall 22 of the shell and communicates with the compressed air chamber 35: so that the latter may be furnished with compressed air from any suitable air supply source before the mounting plunger 3i under the action of the spring 535. The detonating caps 3'5. are for the purpose of exploding the charge within the chamber of the shell.

The wall 22 has a fragile or destructible portion 38' and a plunger engageable therewith, the head of which is arranged in the powder chamber 8 so that when an explosion occurs therein for propelling the shell it or the projectile 9 in entirety the plunger will be caused to rupture the fragile portion and permit a gradual escape of the compressed air within the air chamber 39 and as the air pressure decreases the spring 3 acts to shove the plunger St to actuate the firing pins 3G and explode the detonating caps 37 and thereby explode the high explosive charge within the chamber oi the shell for the destruction thereof and a submarine in close proximity thereto. However, should the detonating caps 3? fall to fire r set off the highly explosive charge, the shell or projectile will be exploded on contact with the submarine or object by the firing pin engaging therewith and ac tuating the detonating caps 12? bringing about a destruction of the plug and exploding cf the charge within the shell 2 i.

As before stated, the projectiles within the powder chambers b are supp izontally and extend in a plurality of directions from the housing 5 due to the shape of the latter and the arrangement of the powder chambers therein so that when the powder within the powder chambers is exploded through the operation of the firing pins H by the electric motor under the control of the time switch 29, the projectiles will travel each in a diilerent direction from the housing 5. As before described, the projectiles on leaving the powder chambers under the explosions therein will have the portions 38 rupmounted tured to allow the compressed air to escape and a cradle to includ 1;,

of curved arms 3% coactive in forming a seat for a spherical shaped float 32 in which is journaled a drum iii having wound thereon a cable M. The cable extends through a hole 35 provided in the float and has a series of branch cables 13 connected thereto. The branch cables are connected to eyes l? provided on the powder chambers 3. The float 32 is equipped with keepers il engaged by pivotally mounted latches 63 carried by the cradle or the arms l thereof. Floats '39 form integral parts of the latches and also act normally to sustain the latches in engagement with the keepers until contacted with water whence they disengage the latches from the keepers freeing the float 42 from the cradle, pered hormitting the housing 5 to sink by gravity in the body of water, the cable limiting the distance in which the housing 5 carrying the projectiles may submerge. However, when the device in entirety is dropped into the body of water by an aeroplane or like aircraft the time switch 26 is previously set in operation so that the gun powder of the powder chambers which support the projectiles will be exploded after the housing 5 has sunk a distance below the surface of the water and before reaching its lowermost submerged position controlled by the cable and the float 42.

Thus it will be seen that the expulsion of the projectiles can to a reasonable amount be governed to a selected depth within a body of water.

The float i2 is provided with a small port through which air may escape as the float fills with water by way of the opening so that the float will sink after the fioat has been in the water for a period of time.

The reason for the sinking of the float -22 is to prevent the device from falling in the hands of an enemy or interfering with shipping. Of course, the phase of bringing about the sinking of the fioat anol'allowing the housing 5 to sink to the bottom of the body of water is only incidental as far as le present invention is concerned and if desired may be eliminated by omitti the port so from the float so that the float may continue to support the housing 5 in order lat it may be recovered at a later time and -gain used for the discharge of other projectiles.

While we have shown and described the preferred embodiment of our invention, it will be understood that minor changes in construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope he invention as claimed.

Having thus described the invention, what we claim is:

1. In a depth bomb, a sinkable firing and propulsion device including a plurality of explosion chambers extending in various directions therefrom and containing explosive material and including detonating caps, projectiles mounted in said explosion chambers to be projected by the force of the explosions therein in various direct. .s from said device and each including means for the explosion thereof after traveling a distance from said device and actuated by the force of the projecting explosion, a flexible element connected to said device, a drum having said flexible device wound thereon, a buoyant float housing said drum, and float actuated latches for releasably securing the float to said device.

2. In a depth bomb, 2. sinlrable housing, explosion chambers carried by and extending in various directions from said housing, time controlled mechanism for the firing of explosive within the explosion chambers, explosive projectiles mounted in said chambers to be fired therefrom by the force of the explosions and each including an explosive chamber, an air compression chamber, a spring influenced plunger operating in said air compression chamber, detonating means actuated by said plunger on the release of air pressure from said air compression chamber, and means for the discharge of the air pressure from the air compression chamber and operated by the force of explosions expelling the projectile from the firing chamber.

3. In a depth bomb projectile, a shell, a contact type detonating means carried by said shell and located at one end thereof, an air compression chamber in said shell and coacting there-' with in defining an explosion chamber, means for admitting air pressure to said chamber, a spring influenced plunger operable in said air compression chamber and affected by the air pressure, detonating means operated by said plunger on the decrease of air pressure in said air compression chamber and carried by the latter for exploding the discharge within the explosion chamber of the shell, and means carried by said shell for venting the air pressure chamber and actuated by a force of explosion propelling said shell.

CHARLES W. BACHERT, SR. CHARLES W. BACHERT, JR. 

